Category: International Headlines

The Lee administration probably wants to drag out this investigation of the explosion on the ROK cargo ship in order to prevent having to answer hard questions on what to do in response to if it was an Iranian strike:

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday rebutted U.S. President Donald Trump’s assertion that a Korean-operated vessel was attacked as it was acting on its own without U.S. protection in the Strait of Hormuz — a focal point of the ongoing war between the U.S. and Iran.

“The corresponding ship, for several days before the fire broke out, had been anchored in the relevant waters near the United Arab Emirates on the inner side of the Strait of Hormuz,” the ministry said in a statement.

The remarks followed an explosion of unidentified cause that triggered a fire aboard the HMM Namu, a Panama-flagged bulk carrier operated by Korean shipping company HMM, Monday.

Korea Times

You can read more at the link.

It looks like the Iranians through a tantrum and went after a docked ship after the U.S. military successfully brought ships through the supposedly closed Strait of Hormuz. Fortunately it doesn’t appear anyone was hurt on the South Korean ship:

U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday that Iran has taken shots at a South Korean cargo ship and other targets, noting that it is time for Seoul to participate in a mission to reopen the crucial Strait of Hormuz.

Trump made the remarks in a social media post as the United States launched an operation, called Project Freedom, to guide commercial vessels stranded by the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran, out of the waterway, a key shipping route for oil, fertilizer and other commodities.

“Iran has taken some shots at unrelated Nations with respect to the Ship Movement, PROJECT FREEDOM, including a South Korean Cargo Ship. Perhaps it’s time for South Korea to come and join the mission!,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

“We’ve shot down seven small Boats or, as they like to call them, ‘fast’ Boats. It’s all they have left. Other than the South Korean Ship, there has been, at this moment, no damage going through the Strait,” he added.

Trump’s comment on the South Korean vessel came after Seoul’s foreign ministry said that an explosion occurred on a Panama-flagged ship operated by HMM Co., a major South Korean shipping firm, in the Strait of Hormuz, and that the cause of the explosion is under investigation.

The ship was anchored in waters near the United Arab Emirates within the strait. It was carrying 24 crew members on board — six South Koreans and 18 foreign nationals. No casualties were reported.

Korea Times

You can read more at the link, but the Iranians could sink a South Korean ship and I doubt the Lee administration would do anything about it other than issuing a strongly worded letter. Most of the world realizes the closure of the Strait is a major problem and breach of international law, but would instead prefer the U.S. to do the heavy lifting to open it. They blame the Trump administration for the current conflict while ignoring the fact what would happen if Iran acquired a nuclear weapon and then decided to charge tolls on the Strait? What would the world do then in that scenario? Issue lots of strongly worded letters?

These analysts make no sense when they claim that Korea could send ships to protect civilians vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz only if the safety of their Naval ships can be guaranteed. If there was no threat then there would be no need for a naval escort. A naval escort is needed precisely because there is a threat:

Under the current circumstances, a security analyst said, it is a good choice for Seoul to expand its participation in multinational coalitions, led by either the U.S. or the U.K. and France, but warned that it could “complicate the possible deployment of military assets when required.”

“We don’t have a clear picture of how the coalitions will develop, especially considering the unpredictable nature of Trump,” he said on condition of anonymity.

The analyst listed possible military operations, including protecting civilian vessels and conducting mine-clearing activities. “These activities should be carefully coordinated, considering the limited assets we can deploy, with guarantees on the safety of these assets as a prerequisite,” he said.

According to military and security sources, two feasible early-stage contribution options for the U.S.- and European-led coalitions may include sending liaison officers or personnel to multinational force headquarters to facilitate communication, or engaging in intelligence sharing.

Korea Times

You can read more at the link.

This phone call iwill accomplish nothing to reopen the Strait, but creates the appearance that the ROK government is “doing something” to reopen the Strait and lower gas prices:

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun (R) shakes hands with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi during their meeting on the margins of the U.N. General Assembly in New York on Sept. 25, 2025, in this file photo provided by South Korea’s foreign ministry.

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun held phone talks with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, on Saturday and called for the resumption of safe navigation of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, the foreign ministry said.

During the talks, Cho noted that South Korean and other international vessels remain anchored in the crucial waterway, stressing the need to ensure their safe resumption of navigation, according to the ministry.

He also expressed hope for the swift restoration of peace and stability, citing the broader impact of the conflict on global security and the economy, while Araghchi outlined Iran’s position on negotiations with the United States.

The call marked the third conversation between the two ministers since the conflict began in late February following U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran, with the latest call made at the request of the Iranian side, the ministry added.

A total of 26 South Korean vessels, with more than 170 crew members on board, have been stranded in the Strait of Hormuz since the outbreak of the war.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

I am sure South Korea will assist with opening the Strait of Hormuz by writing strongly worded letters to Tehran:

South Korea is considering various options, including playing diplomatic, humanitarian or military roles, to contribute to international efforts to secure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, a senior foreign ministry official said Tuesday.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

Despite Korea’s dependence on oil supplies through the Strait of Hormuz I would be very surprised if Korea takes any leading role in an international force to police it:

President Lee Jae Myung will attend talks led by Britain and France this week over freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, Cheong Wa Dae said Thursday.

The virtual gathering, to be hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer late Friday (Seoul time), aims to ensure free and safe passage through the crucial waterway.

“As the freedom and security of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz serve the interests of all parties and are vital to our national interests, we are continuing efforts to work in solidarity with countries that share similar positions,” a senior official told reporters.

Lee is preparing a message addressing energy supply chains, Seoul’s stance on the Middle East situation, and the importance of international solidarity to ensure free passage through the crucial shipping route, the official said.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

The best thing about this oil is that it will all be shipped to South Korea without having to transit the Strait of Hormuz:

South Korea has secured 273 million barrels of crude oil by the end of this year from four nations in the Middle East, presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik said Wednesday. 

Kang, who returned home from his eight-day trip to Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kazakhstan, said the nation also secured 2.1 million tons of naphtha by the end of this year. 

“The 273 million barrels of crude oil, based on last year’s consumption levels, are sufficient to sustain the economy for more than three months under normal operating conditions without the need for additional emergency measures,” Kang told reporters.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

An early sign that the blockade is already working:

South Korea has no plans to pay Iran to get its stranded ships out of the Strait of Hormuz, its top diplomat said Wednesday, noting that it does not intend to take any action that would run counter to the U.S.-led blockade of the shipping lane.

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun made the remarks during a parliamentary session, in response to a lawmaker’s question about whether paying Iran a toll for transit would conflict with the U.S. Navy-led blockade aimed at preventing Tehran from taking control of the waterway.

“At this stage, we have no plans to pay Iran any form of compensation or to take any action that would run counter to what the United States has stated,” Cho told the National Assembly.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

This is something that should have been done from the start of the war, but the President decided to let Iran keep selling oil to keep prices down. This is one of those conflicts where you have to be all in or you don’t do it at all:

The United States began a naval blockade of Iranian ports on Monday, ratcheting up pressure on the Islamic Republic after Washington and Tehran failed to reach an agreement during their peace talks in Pakistan over the weekend.

U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed during a press availability that the blockade was in progress, noting that Iran hopes to make a deal with the U.S. “very badly”, a remark that raised hopes for diplomatic efforts to end the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran.

In an advisory, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), a British entity, said that effective from 10 a.m. (Washington time), “maritime access restrictions” were being enforced for Iranian ports and coastal areas, including locations along the Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea east of the Strait of Hormuz.

The blockade in the strategically crucial strait appears aimed at putting pressure on Iran, as it could restrict Tehran’s ability to export oil, its key source of revenue. Iran has used the waterway as a vital source of strategic leverage to seek U.S. concessions during the war.

Yonhap

South Korea for their part has sent diplomats to Tehran trying to get a pledge from them to not attack their ships:

Seoul’s special envoy to Iran, Chung Byung-ha, has met senior officials in Tehran to discuss the situation surrounding the Strait of Hormuz — where South Korean vessels and seafarers remain stranded — as well as broader bilateral issues, a Korean Foreign Ministry official who requested anonymity said in an afternoon closed-door briefing.

Chung, who arrived over the weekend, is expected to convey Seoul’s position on ensuring the safety of South Korean nationals and securing passage through the strait, while holding consultations with Iranian counterparts. His meetings are likely to include talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, though details have not been disclosed.

“(Chung) will deliver our position on the bilateral relations with Iran, ensuring the safety of South Korean nationals in Iran and the passage of the Strait of Hormuz, and consult with them on those matters,” the Foreign Ministry official said.

Korea Herald

The fact that South Korea is not announcing the results of the consultations must mean that Iran has denied free passage of their ships. From Iran’s point of view South Korea is selling missile defense systems to the Gulf Arab states which effectively puts the ROK on the opposing side of this conflict.

If this toll through the Strait of Hormuz is allowed to stand it will set a precedent for other global strategic waterways. What is to stop the Houthis to next charge a toll to pass through the Red Sea? Malaysia and Indonesia could charge tolls to use the Strait of Malacca as well if this is the new precedent. The U.S. has long advocated for freedom of navigation and the Hormuz toll is a direct assault on this concept:

Iran has announced plans to impose tolls on vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz after a ceasefire with the U.S., and the South Korean government has analyzed that this measure, if implemented, could raise domestic oil prices by approximately 0.5%. Yang Gi-wook, Director of the Industrial Resources Security Office at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources, stated during a briefing by the “Middle East War Response Headquarters” on the 9th, “If tolls are added to the current international oil price level of $90–100 per barrel, a rise of about 1% could occur. Considering that roughly half of domestic gasoline prices consist of taxes, the final consumer price is expected to increase by approximately 0.5%.” However, he added, “It is difficult to specify a response strategy as both the imposition of tolls and their method remain uncertain.”

Chosun Ilbo

You can read more at the link.